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Summary

Medieval cross in Heywood Wood to the north-east of Heywood House was formerly situated at Speke's Cross to the south-west

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1106580: SPEKES CROSS APPROXIMATELY 175 METRES NORTH NORTH EAST OF HEYWOOD HOUSE
• Scheduled Monument 1016206: Standing cross known as Speke's Cross, 500m north east of Eggesford House

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 34354
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS61SE/12
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 95538
• Old SAM County Ref: 753
• Old SAM Ref: 30309
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS61SE9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (XIV to XVI - 1400 AD to 1540 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Stone Cross' shown on 19th century map.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1938, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part II, 309 (Article in Serial). SDV6308.

Site visited on 27th September 1937. The cross that formerly stood at Speke's Cross is now in Heywood Wood.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952 - 1973, SS61SE9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345261.

Medieval stone cross formerly stood at Speke's Cross at Grid Reference SS66751000. The Latin cross has a tapering shaft mounted in a square socket stone on a two step base. Generally well preserved although both limbs have been damaged.

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1970, Cross NE of Eggesford House (Schedule Document). SDV345260.

Cross north-east of Eggesford House. Cross on modern two step base in clearing of Heywood Wood. It is about 15 inches (0.38 metre) square in section, and stands about 9 feet (2.74 metres) high.

Griffith, F. M., 1983, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV345264.

The shaft has one face (now on the north-west) which is flattish and rusticated: the others are roughly dressed only. The modern base has an inscription of which only the final word 'love' is legible.

Department of Environment, 1986, Wembworthy, 48 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV339663.

Wayside cross. Probably 15th century on 20th century base. Granite cross and socket stone on concrete plinth. Plain Latin cross standing approximately 2.4 metres high is carved from a single piece of granite. Its edges are slightly chamfered and the stem is irregular. Its left hand arm is a replacement. It is set into a plain square-section socket stone on a two step concrete plinth. The back of the cross shows much rougher toolwork. The cross is now alongside a woodland path which was once the drive to now ruined Eggesford House. It was probably erected here in the 19th century.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1997, Standing Cross known as Speke's Cross, 500m north east of Eggesford House (Schedule Document). SDV345266.

Standing Cross known as Speke's Cross, 500 metres north-east of Eggesford House. The monument includes a Medieval standing cross located on a triangular island between three drives within the landscaped grounds which originally formed part of the Eggesford Estate. It stands in a square socket stone on a modern two-stepped pedestal. The cross is roughly carved from a single piece of granite. One face is flattened and smooth; this faces north-west. The other faces are roughly tooled and dressed. The cross is a simple `Latin' cross which tapers slightly upwards and is roughly square in section. The base measures 0.45 metres long by 0.4 metres wide; at the arms it is 0.6 metres wide and the cross itself is 2.6 metres high. The left arm of the cross has been restored, but the right arm is chipped. The socket stone into which the shaft is set measures 0.81 metres long by 0.79 metres wide and is 0.3 metrs high. This socket stone is set in concrete into a two stepped plinth, probably of late 19th or early 20th century construction. The modern base has an inscription which is all but illegible. In total the cross and its base are 3.45 metres high. This type of cross is typical of those thought to date to the 15th century, and was likely to have been a wayside cross. It was allegedly moved to its present location by the Portsmouth family.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 210, (Vol 2), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Heywood Cross SS677117
A tall cross stands in Heywood Wood, about one mile north-east of Wembworthy church, near a path from Heywood House to the bank of the River Taw. A tall cross of rectangular section, the shaft tapering upwards with head and arms expanding slightly outwards, set in a square socket stone with chamfered edges. The socket stone is supported by two square pedestals. The cross formerly stood at Spekes Cross, a crossroads a quarter of a mile east of Wembworthy Church.
Cross height 2.54 metres, span 0.66 metres. Socket stone 0.86 by 0.86 metres by 0.30 metres high.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 34354 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV345265.

A Medieval standing cross known as Speke's Cross situated 500 metres north-east of Eggesford House. The cross is located on a triangular island between three drives within the landscaped grounds which originally formed part of the Eggesford Estate. It stands in a square socket stone on a modern two-stepped pedestal and is roughly carved from a single piece of granite. The cross is a simple `Latin' cross which tapers slightly upwards and is roughly square in section. It is thought to date to the 15th century with late 19th or early 20th century alterations and is likely to have been a wayside cross.

English Heritage, 2010, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV154869.

Spekes Cross approximately 175 metres north-north-east of Heywood House was Listed on 19th February 1986. Other details: LBS Number 95538.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

'Cross' shown on modern mapping in Heywood Wood.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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